St. Norbert Takes Series Opener at UW-Superior

SUPERIOR - St. Norbert College won its first-ever post-season game when it claimed the opening game of a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association O'Brien Cup Playoffs quarterfinal series by a 5-4 score at Wessman Arena.

The Green Knights (15-9-2) won for the tenth time in their last 11 games with the win. Superior (16-8-2), ranked No. 8 in the USCHO.com Division III Poll, must defeat St. Norbert in the regular game Saturday and then also win a 20-minute mini-game after to steal the series. St. Norbert need just a tie to win the series.

Superior got the early lead on the Green Knights when Haley Olmstead scored at the 3:23 mark of the first period. The Green Knights responded to take a 2-1 lead after one period when Henriette Ostergaard scored at 13:53, and Karissa Anderson scored at 14:50.

The Yellowjackets parried with two goals in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. Olmstead scored at 8:38 followed by a Kiara De Kezel marker at 12:31. St. Norbert charged back on goals by Andrea Senne at 13:58 and Laurel Hill at 15:38 for a 4-3 lead after two periods.

Superior pulled back to even again at 11:47 of the third period on a goal by Lynne Larson. Ostergaard scored the game-winner with assists to Stephanie Slinde and Lauren Roethlisberger on a power-play goal at 17:20. The Yellowjackets had an extra attacker on for the final 1:15 but couldn't tie the score.

Slinde and Zoe Kurth each had two saves for St. Norbert.

The game marked the first time Superior lost this season when scoring the first goal, dropping the Yellowjackets to 14-1 in that situation.

Superior outshot St. Norbert 29-23. Kaley Gibson made 25 saves for the Green Knights, while Megan Leikkari made 18 stops for Superior. The Green Knights were 2-for-2 on the power play, while Superior was 0-for-4.